


An Invitation to Dance

by JediDryad



Series: February Fluff: 28 Ways Luke and Mara Get it Together at last. [17]
Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Galas, Luke is uncomfortable, Mara is a pro, february fluff, happy evenings, much smarter couple, normal flirting, sweet seduction, sweet smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:07:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29416122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediDryad/pseuds/JediDryad
Summary: I headcanon that there is about six months between the end of The Last Command and the beginning of Luke’s dark side adventure, during which a relationship could potentially spark between Luke and Mara without any unnecessary baggage weighing it down. This is one of those scenarios - in which both of them are smarter than they were in Legends Canon.Tropes exist for a reason. We all know what dancing leads to.
Relationships: Mara Jade/Luke Skywalker
Series: February Fluff: 28 Ways Luke and Mara Get it Together at last. [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2129439
Comments: 9
Kudos: 39





	An Invitation to Dance

“Jedi Skywalker. I see you pulled out full regalia for this event.”

Luke spun around at the familiar voice, trying to come up with a retort to the good natured quip about his homespun robes, and felt his jaw go slack.

In the year since they’d met, he’d seen Mara in a myriad of circumstances most beings never experienced together. But he’d never seen the former Emperor’s Hand at a gala like this. Her manner of carriage along with the stunning gown and sleek hair brought the sudden reminder that the woman he’d most known as thorough, practical and viciously competent, had once spent many of her evenings floating through ballrooms dressed like an aristocrat.

He’d never felt more like an imposter.

“Close your mouth, jedi.” She ordered, but her demeanour softened as she regarded him for a moment. She stepped to his side.

“You’re really not comfortable here are you?”

“Not in the least.” he admitted stiffly, trying not to fidget too noticeably, “I’d rather be in a firefight actually.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“I’d be less likely to embarrass Leia there.”

Mara held her silence again and Luke was surprised by the shifts in her expression as she seemed to work from skepticism through surprise to something that didn’t seem like pity, although he couldn’t imagine what else would prompt her next words.

“Come dance with me.”

“Seriously, Mara. I just said I was trying not to be an embarrassment.”

She tugged on his hand, “Follow my lead. I’ll make you look good.”

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows.

“I might be an outer rim nobody, but I’m fairly certain that’s not how it works.”

“It does on Hapes.”

He felt a spike of gratitude, “Leia’s been trying to charm the delegation for a week. They’ve been a little cold ever since Dathomir.”

Mara’s nod was a touch smug.

He smiled. “Okay. Help me show them they matter.”

She pulled him to the dance floor, smoothly moving him into position as the music started.

“Match my movements,” She murmured as she pulled him close.

For an instant he froze as her breath brushed across his ear, and he felt her body press against his. What kind of dancing did they do on Hapes anyway?

“Still here, Luke?”

“Mmm.” He forced himself out of his stupor and tried to follow the rhythm of the music. 

After a few beats, he started to notice her subtle guidance: a light tap on his hand, hip moving against hip. She counted softly in his ear, marking the footwork as she led him through the pattern. He gamely tried to match her steps hoping his voluminous robe hid the worst of his mistakes.

Gradually he started to feel like he might be getting it. And then all he had to do was not think too hard about the way Mara felt in his arms, her back muscles flexing under his hand, her chin brushing his shoulder as she breathed instructions in his ear. She was a friend. He didn’t want to ruin that.

“You’re very quiet.” she whispered.

“Trying not to step on your feet or my robe and pitch us both to the floor.”

She chuckled sympathetically and he felt her laughter through her dress.

“You’re better at this than that.”

“Don’t be too sure.”

“Oh, I’m being very careful. And don’t worry about your robe. There are mysterious winds keeping it off the floor.”

He almost stopped dead in his poorly counted tracks.

“Keep moving,” she murmured knowingly, and started the count again.

“You’re using the Force to keep me from tripping?”

“Just a little.”

He fell silent again.

“One more lap.” she noted and directed him to the outer ring of dancers, “We’re about to pass the delegation. Don’t make eye contact.”

“No fear of that,” He muttered, focussed on his steps, and the touch of Mara’s fingers on his shoulder, she seemed to be stroking his sleeve in time with the music. He wasn’t sure what to make of her sudden easy intimacy. 

“Okay,” She said, bringing him to a graceful halt as the music wound down to silence, “kiss my cheek, and we’ll walk over to the buffet.”

Hoping there wasn’t a way he could unwittingly mess that up, he did as she said and held her hand as they crossed the room

She leaned into him slightly as they walked and he struggled to figure out an appropriate response when his every impulse screamed at him to pull her into his arms and find somewhere private. This was a performance, he reminded himself as he accepted her gesture and squeezed her hand. She was putting on a show for the Hapans.

She seemed to continue the performance as the evening went on. Her mood was unexpectedly bright when she returned from making the rounds to discuss the Smuggler’s Alliance with dignitaries and corporate representatives. Luke had been pressed in to service alongside Leia in greeting the Hapans who had, indeed, been pleased by the tribute to their culture.

So often, they noted, they’d felt ignored by the galactic core, economically prosperous as they were. It was nice to know not everyone on Coruscant believed the galaxy ended at Balmorra. While appropriately gracious responses were made, Luke was definitely relieved, when Mara slipped back to his side and dropped a cocktail in his hand.

“Aplayteli,” she murmured in his ear as she clinked glasses. She made it sound like a proposition and Luke was again uncertain what to make of her this evening. Her eyes sparked with mischief as she met his gaze over their fruity chocolate concoctions. It would seem she knew she’d snapped his stabilizer and sent him tumbling through space.

Luke gulped down his drink all too quickly as he watched her walk over to Leia. In a few minutes, both of them were laughing.

“Doing okay, Kid?” Han’s voice penetrated his whirling mind.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.”

His brother-in-law looked over at Mara engaged in a rather comfortable looking conversation with his wife.

“You’re doing better than you think.”

Luke glanced up at him, only half understanding.

“Do you have any weird souvenirs from Tatooine at home?”

“I have a gaffi stick.”

“A weapon, perfect. Invite her up to see it.” His signature scoundrel grin was on full display.

“She’ll take it from there.”

Han clapped him on the shoulder and sauntered back over to Leia. After a moment, Mara strode back to Luke’s side.

“I’ve done what I came to do. Feel like getting out of here?”

Luke nodded.

“Sure,” he said, remembering Han’s advice, “Remember back on Wayland when we got talking about the Tusken Raiders combat technique?”

She nodded.

“I have a gaffi stick in my apartment upstairs. Want to see it?”

There was a pause.

“Yes.”

Luke’s heart was pounding as they made their goodbyes and Mara collected her wrap. 

He’d been around long enough to know what he’d proposed, and he knew Mara understood what she was accepting. Still, it seemed utterly unbelievable to him. He kept expecting her to drop her act, and say goodnight. He kept expecting her to laugh at him for misinterpreting, for imagining.

As they got closer to his apartment, his denial took on a new tone. Maybe he was the one misinterpreting the situation. Mara was interested in weaponry, he knew. He really should take this exchange at face value until she made it clear. Anything else could lead to abject humiliation.

She was still with him when they got to his apartment, and she allowed him to usher her inside. As he called for the lights, she dropped her wrap and clutch on the closest chair and looked at him expectantly.

“I think it’s in my spare closet.” he said, mouth dry as he kept a respectable distance from her.

“Farmboy.” her voice stopped him in his tracks.

She took a step towards him and her lips curved upward. 

“Do you really think I’m here to see a desert planet bludgeon?”

“Oh thank the Force.” He breathed as he crossed the floor to her in two strides and kissed her as he’d been longing to all evening. He backed her against the wall as her mouth opened to him. She tasted like namana flavoured chocolate and wine. It was lovely, but as he pulled her into his arms and let his fingers drift across her bare back, he traced her throat with his tongue and that was better. She tasted like Mara, and he could ask for no more than that from the galaxy.

She pulled back and looked at him for a moment, head tilting analytically, green eyes narrowing, kiss swollen lips pursing. He had the strong notion that she could sense his feelings. She’d heard what he’d said in his head. Was it too much?

“If this is an act, Skywalker, it’s a very good one”

“It’s not,” he breathed and he knew she believed him.

“Good.”

She stepped back into his arms and pushed his cloak off his shoulders before winding her fingers through his hair as she brought his lips back to hers. Luke relished the way she felt pressed against him, the way she guided his mouth to where she wanted it, the way she moaned as his fingers explored and found the zipper to her dress. His tongue was in her mouth as the fabric pooled around her ankles. Her glittering dance shoes slipped off her feet as he lifted her in his arms and carried her through to his dimly lit bedroom, using the Force to guide them so he wouldn’t have to stop kissing her.

“You’re wearing too much.” she grumbled as he contemplated her in appreciative silence after laying her gently on his bed. Her skin looked like freckle dusted porcelain against the deep blue of her lacy lingerie. 

It took a moment for her words to penetrate as he considered all the things he wanted to do, all the expressions he wanted to see on her face, and the sounds he wanted to draw out of her.

“So are you,” he finally breathed and he quickly remedied his side of the situation, stripping off his cumbersome layers and stretching out naked next to her in the low light. She seemed to glow. 

He traced a finger across her breasts and gloried in her sharp inhale as he leaned over to trace the top edge of her bra with his tongue. She started to tremble and he was encouraged to continue, his tongue dipping below the lace as she flailed and whimpered in response.

He continued the torture until she reached down and took him in her hand. His arm collapsed under him and he rested his forehead on her heaving breast as she stroked her fingers along his length. He hadn’t imagined he could possibly get harder, but then he’d never been in bed with Mara Jade before. He breathed her name and felt her chuckle triumphantly.

“Get on with it, Luke.” she slurred, and he grinned.

Back up on his knees, Luke straddled Mara, sliding his hands softly under her body to relieve her of both pieces of lingerie. First, her bra so he could lavish attention on her nipples in earnest, and then he slid her basics down her legs, and slipped a finger inside her, teasing.

She yelped, her whole body undulating in response as he added a second finger and curled them both slightly against her inner walls.

“Good?”

She nodded, eyes closed, and whimpered again as he repeated the move and then slide his thumb against her clit as he moved.

He watched a spasm of pleasure ripple through her and leaned down to kiss her open mouth. She arched against him and gasped.

“I want you, now.”

He realized he was now beyond turned on by this woman who knew what she wanted and took steps to get it. He was in no position to deny her. He slid his fingers out of her and into his mouth, knowing that one taste would never be enough.

And then he positioned himself between her legs and slid into her, and it was his turn to let out a moan of pleasure as her wet warmth enveloped him and she tightened around him like soft velvet.

He started to move, pulling almost all the way out each time so he could experience again and again the absolute pleasure of Mara engulfing him, the feel of her inner muscles wrapping securely around him, like he was safe at home.

He kissed her as he thrust, memorizing her soft lips and her sensitive earlobes. He wanted to map out her body and find every place he could touch or suckle that would make her cry out his name.

Lost in the feel of her, he moved faster and soon they were both crying out as they found that place of blissful rapture they’d been looking for from the beginning.

The euphoria was lasting. Luke and Mara were still caught in its afterglow even after Luke had pulled down his comforter and wrapped her under the blankets next to him. Even after she’d pillowed her head on his chest and ordered him to remove the pins from her hairdo.

“Luke,” she murmured, half asleep in his arms as he stroked his hands through the silky strands.

“I would like to do this again.”

“Me too.” he whispered, still a little uncertain if he believed it was happening in the first place.

“Good. Maybe next time we could skip the exhausting gala - “ she interrupted herself with a jaw cracking yawn, “- and get to the good dancing sooner.”


End file.
